Sharks Don't Sink: A Rogue Scientist Becomes an Author
By Safina Center Fellow Jasmin Graham
Jasmin Graham sits beside Tonya Wiley, Founder of Havenworth Coastal Conservation, during a shark survey. ©Cassie Wegeng
About two years ago a literary agent reached out to me and asked me if I wanted to write a book. Immediately I balked at the idea—I felt I didn’t have enough thoughts, knowledge, or experience to fill a page. However, after talking with this agent I remembered something that I try to remind myself of, but often forget amid my own imposter syndrome:
“Just because you haven’t seen someone like you do a thing, doesn’t mean it can’t be done.”
In my conversation with him I realized that the reason I felt like I didn’t have the ‘right’ to write a book is because I’m used to seeing well established, older folks who use big words, go to fancy places, and know famous people write books. But knowledge and experience can come in a lot of different forms and more importantly, I realized that if I wrote this book, perhaps the next person who comes after me won’t hesitate because they will already see themselves as an author.
Jasmin Graham and MISS members complete a shark workup in Terra Ceia Bay, FL. ©Cassie Wegeng
When my co-founders and I created Minorities in Shark Sciences, we wanted to broaden people’s perspective on what a shark scientist looks like. For me, this book is an extension of that mission. I hope that people enjoy the book and learn from it, but I also hope that its existence stands as a testament to the possibilities. Not only can Black girls be scientists, but they can also be authors, and it’s not just elders who have a story to tell, we all have a story, and that story doesn’t have to be finished for you to put it on paper. Sometimes the most exciting stories are still unfolding!
The book is non-linear, and explores how my past experiences have shaped the way I approach my research and conservation efforts today. The book tells the story of my first season as a “rogue” shark researcher, unaffiliated with any traditional academic institution and with my MISS colleagues by my side. Descriptions of this work are interwoven with my journey to discover my passion, from my childhood as a military brat who was drawn to STEM, to the obstacles I faced, and the ways in which I carved out a niche for myself and other Black women in the historically white space of marine biology.
Jasmin pulls in a shark in Terra Ceia Bay, FL ©Cassie Wegeng
Each chapter in this book is anchored in a description of a day in my life during my 2022 field season—from the spark of the original idea for the project, to the innovative methodologies we’ve had to work out because we couldn’t rely on the resources of an institution—and the insights that those forced innovations have rendered. This book introduces the reader to not only a wide diversity of sharks, but also a wide diversity of scientists—Asian American, Persian, Black, white—all of us committed to conservation work to our core. My goal is for folks to understand the connection between humans and sharks as well as the parallels between the plight of sharks and the plight of scientists of color.
Jasmin Graham holds an early print copy of her book, Sharks Don’t Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist. ©Jasmin Graham
Sharks Don’t Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist releases on July 16, 2024. Read more about the book and pre-order here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/726129/sharks-dont-sink-by-jasmin-graham/
Learn more about Minorities in Shark Sciences here: www.misselasmo.org